World Reviewer rating

South Africa

South Africa has one big selling point - variety. Its landscape is as varied as it is beautiful, with a huge range of different sights: climb Table Mountain, visit dramatic river valleys and waterfalls, drive through looming canyons and gorges, and explore a fantastic coastline that ranges from the rocky precipice of Cape Point to the gleaming luxury of famous Fourth Beach. The range of outdoor activities on offer is just as varied, from surfing and trail hiking to more extreme options like white water rafting and rock climbing. There's even the world's longest zip line here, allowing steely-nerved punters to fly over the landscape at terrifying speeds. South Africa's wildlife is another star attraction, meet some on safaris and whale-watching trips - you can even go diving with five-metre long tiger sharks if you're brave enough!

South Africa's culture is as varied as its landscape, with different regions enjoying their own customs, history and languages. Its cities are vibra…

South Africa Food Safari

Every country has their own special foods and traditional dishes that have evolved and refined throughout their history. South Africa is no different, except that now because of its varied history and the affects of different cultures on it, it is a veritable gourmet melting pot.

From the hunter gather tribes that dominated the plains to the early Dutch, English and Huguenot settlers, to the Cape Malay slaves brought in to work the wine farms, to the Indian labourers brought in to help on the sugar plantations – it has a world of gastronomic influence all in one country.

This has helped to create some of South Africa’s most inspired tastes – Boerewors (a special type of spicy sausage directly translated from Afrikaans to mean farmers Sausage), Bobotie (pronounced ba-boor-tea arrived with the Malay people and is a delicious mixture of curried meat and fruit topped with an egg custard, not dissimilar to moussaka), Pap (a traditional porridge made from ground maize), Biltong (a dried salty meat similar to American jerky), traditional Indian curries, Ostrich in red wine sauce, Waterblommetjie bredie (directly translated as water flower stew it is a meat stewed with the flower of the Cape Pondweed) and Mashonzha (a local delicacy made from the mopanwolrms!).

South Africa also has a rich tradition in excellent wine and brandy making with many winning awards, so washing down these exotic meals is certainly no hardship. But, if none of this is to your taste South Africa has many excellent restaurants that feature food from around the world.

It is no wonder then that with such eclectic influences South Africa is fast becoming one of the worlds best places to do a “gourmet food tour”. If you have a passion for food then I would recommend that you consider this as your next holiday. It allows you to explore the wonders of South Africa and all its spectacular scenery, but it allows you to learn about the people and their cultures through their food! Ending your holiday with a “food Safari” satisfies not only your tummy but also your sense of adventure seeing the Big Five (Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Buffalo and Elephant) – what more could you want?